Sec Duffy: A320 Jets Should be Ready by Sunday Deadline

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Airbus A320 jets should have required software upgrades in place by the Sunday deadline to keep air travel schedules mostly intact.

Duffy posted on Saturday that "Working with my team and the @FAANews, U.S. carriers jumped into action to complete these updates quickly with minimal disruptions. Thankfully, only a small percentage of flying aircraft nationwide required this immediate software patch."

Duffy said it appeared that the work was being handled quickly. "All impacted U.S. carriers have reported great progress and are on track to meet the deadline of this Sunday at midnight to complete the work."

He added that disruptions to travel schedules should be at a minimum. "Travelers SHOULD NOT expect any major disruptions. Be on the lookout for communication from your airlines."

Airlines worldwide reported brief disruptions as they updated software on the common commercial aircraft after an analysis suggested faulty computer code may have played a role in a sudden altitude drop on a JetBlue flight last month.

Airbus said Friday that its review of the JetBlue incident found intense solar radiation may corrupt data vital to flight controls on the A320 aircraft line.

The FAA joined the European Union Aviation Safety Agency in ordering airlines to fix the problem with a new software update.

More than 500 U.S.-registered Airbus aircraft are affected by the software problem that has caused short-term scheduling disruptions worldwide.

The issue stems from a faulty update to onboard computers, prompting a mandatory fix from regulators in the United States and Europe.

American Airlines has 209 impacted jets and said the update takes about two hours. By Saturday, only four of its planes still needed the reset and the carrier expected no further impact.

Delta said fewer than 50 of its A321neos are affected, while United reported six planes with only minor delays expected. Hawaiian Airlines said it was unaffected. JetBlue previously reported injuries on an October flight linked to the software problem.

The timing coincides with heavy post-Thanksgiving travel in the United States. Airbus apologized for the disruption, saying teams are working nonstop to support airlines and return aircraft to service quickly.

Reuters and AP contributed to this report.

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